Amusement game



El CONNELL AMUSEMENT GAME July 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1946 INVENTOR. Edward Eunnell Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT GAME Edward Connell, Cleveland, Ohio Application December 4, 1946, Serial No. 713,991

2 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus of that type wherein balls are projected by the players along runways for the purpose of determining which of the players can throw a ball along a given course in the fastest time.

An object of the invention is to provide a series of runways having means at the end of each runway for closing an electrical circuit to a light bulb to indicate to the players which ball on which runway has completed a given distance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus that will determine the dexterity and skill of the players rather than depending on luck in the playing thereof.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists of the novel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View thereof;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line l4 of F ure 1;

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional side view of the switch about to be contacted by the ball and Figure 6 is the same, after the ball has contacted the switch to illuminate the light and continue on its course.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral It designates the amusement apparatus which is formed of a plurality of supporting legs H, on which are mounted a plurality of trackways l2 which comprise side rails l3 which are joined together at each end and at the center by bolts i l. Tubular spacing members E5 on the bolts between the rails span the rails so that a, ball it may freely roll along the rails in the concave inner faces i! of the rails. The ball It may be made of any suitable material, and is provided with holes It for the reception of the players fingers and thumb for the better grasping thereof.

The series of rails are joined to form a unit by elongated bolts l9 which are joined to the inner rails of the outer trackways and both rails of the intermediate trackways and tubular Spacing members on the bolts properly space the trackways in horizontal parallel relation with each other.

At the forward end of the trackways, there is secured to the lower surface thereof, a hori- 2 zontally disposed partition 2! which. is provided intermediate the trackways with concave cutouts 22. The portion extends outwardly of one of the outer trackways and has a. semi-concave cutout 23 therein.

These cutouts face toward the players and determine the position of the players so that each player is positioned at the same distance from the opposite end of the trackways.

Journalled transversely of the urackways at the forward end thereof is the tubular shaft 24 on the outer ends of which are secured lever arms 25 by means of the elongated bolt 23. The arms 25 are in parallel alined relation to each other to support a tubular barrier member 2? which is secured to the outer ends of the arms 25 by means of an elongated bolt 28.

The member 2! is in an elevated position above the trackways, and extends transversely thereof for the purpose of giving the players an even start.

Secured to the shaft 24 is the weight arm 29, having a weight 36 secured to the end thereof by a bolt 3!, and the weight will overbalance the member 2? to raise it above the trackways until the arm 29 engages the elongated bolt 32 which is secured transversely of the inner rails of the intermediate trackway, and one outer trackway, below the arm 29.

At the start of playing, the barrier is retained in lowered position in engagement with the upper edges of the trackways by a latch bolt 33 which is secured to the outer rail of the outer trackway by a bolt 34. The barrier is only raised when play is started, so that each player has an even start.

The weight raises the barrier when the latch bolt 33 is disengaged from the barrier 2! to clear the trackways for play; otherwise, the barrier would prevent the balls from following the trackway, as shown in Figure 3.

At the rear end of the traclzways, intermediate the joining bolts l9 and I4, there is journalled transversely of the trackways, a shaft 35 to which is secured intermediate the rails of each trackway, a tubular arm 36. Threadably mounted at the upper end of each arm is a circular housing 31 which is made of insulated material and. hingedly mounted thereon by a hinge 38 is the contact disc 39 which is also made of insulated material. The disc is forced away from the housing 31 by a curved spring 40 mounted in a seat 4| in the outer face of the housing, and a spring latch 42 secured to the housing 31 engages in the keeper seat 43 in the disc 39 to retain the disc and housing in engagement with each other. On the inner face of the disc is a contact 44 of a 'suflicient size to bridge the contacts 45 and 46, which are positioned in the circular seat 4'! in the outer face of the housing 31. When the disc is retained in engagement with the housing 31, the contact 44 enters the seat 41 and bridges the contacts 45 and Ma to illuminate the signals 48.

There is a signal for each trackway, and the transparent face 49 of each signal bears a number 58 corresponding to the trackway with which it is associated. The signal comprises a circular housing having a rim 52 for retaining the face 49 thereon, and the housing 5! is mounted on the angular tubular arm 53 which is secured to the trackways in vertical relation thereto.

Each housing mounts a bulb 54 for illuminating the face t9 and Wires 55 connect each bulb to the contacts 45 and 46, and the main electric supply cable 555. The arms 3% and 53 are tubular to receive their respective wires.

Each of the arms 36 is provided with adjusting screws 5'1 which engage the stops 58 in the track- Ways to properly balance the arms so that when a ball It strikes the disc 39, the arms will fall rearwardly out of the pathway of the ball.

The trackways can be of any desired length, and the rails can be made of any suitable material to correspond with the balls.

Each player takes a position at the forward end of the trackways, and each player is supplied with a ball. There is one player for each trackway, and there can be as many trackways as desired, but never less than two for the sake of competition.

With the barrier raised, each player rolls his respective ball down the trackway; the first ball to reach and contact its respective disc closes the circuit to its respective signal to indicate on which trackway the circuit was completed. The engagement of one disc will lower all of the arms 38 so that only one signal will be illuminated, the one which was energized by the closing of the disc to engage its respective housing. Thus with only one signal illuminated, it

4 can be easily determined which ball of which player reached the finish line at the farther end or the trackway first.

There has thus been provided a game apparatus which will test the dexterity and skill of the players, and it is believed that the operation and construction of the apparatus will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is also to be understood that changes in the minor details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a signal actuating switch for a game apparatus employing a plurality of horizontally disposed trackways over which a ball is to be rolled, the invention comprising a shaft journalled for rocking motion transversely of the trackways, an arm fixed to the shaft and adapted to be positioned intermediate of a trackway, a hollow circular housing at the upper end of the arm, a contact disc hingedly pivoted to said housing, means carried by the housing to force the disc out of engagement with the housing, contacts carried by said housing and said disc, and a source of current means connected to the contacts in the housing.

2. The invention as in claim 1 wherein means is carried by each arm to adjust the arms for proper balance so that when a ball engages the disc the arms will fall out of the path of the ball.

EDWARD CONNELL.

REFERENCES (JITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

